Parallels Desktop

Parallels Desktop for Mac is the software product of Parallels company which is the solution in the field of virtualization for Mac OS X allowing users to start Windows, Linux and other operating systems and also the software written for these operating systems. That the virtual machine is started under Mac OS X as the normal application it is not necessary for the user for start of other operating system or the software for it to reboot, unlike the offered Apple of Boot Camp technology. A number of utilities which allow to simplify as much as possible work with virtual machines is also included in the delivery of Parallels Desktop for Mac and to optimize their performance.

2019: Release of Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac

The Parallels company provided on August 12, 2019 Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac. In the program for the first time there was a support of the Metal Apple API interface for the improved processing of graphics. Thanks to transition to Metal support of DirectX 11, 10 and 9 in the environment of Metal is provided that increases performance.

Thanks to graphic innovations users will be able to start Autodesk 3ds Max 2020, Lumion, ArcGIS Pro and Master Series. Age of Empires Definitive Edition, Fallout 4, Madden NFL 19, Crysis 3 and Mark of the Ninja became available to gamers FIFA 19: Remastered.

The Parallels company enclosed many resources in support of the Metal Apple API interface that our customers could receive the most productive and effective version of Parallels Desktop — Nikolay Dobrovolsky, the senior vice president of Parallels for design and support told. — Now users of Parallels Desktop 15 can start "heavy" applications or games for Windows which were unavailable to them earlier.

In Parallels Desktop 15 the Sidecar function in iPadOS appeared. She allows to use the tablet as the second display with Windows.

Also developers offered functions for macOS Catalina. In particular, in software the possibility of use of print preview of screenshots in Windows applications and also drag and drop of images from Safari, the Photo and other standard applications of Mac is available.

Besides, Parallels Desktop 15 supports modern Bluetooth device: Xbox One controller, keyboard Logitech Craft, IRISPen, some gadgets of Internet of Things and many other things. The operability of Bluetooth Low Energy allowing to start games for Xbox on the virtual machine with Windows 10 is also provided.

Work of Parallels Desktop 15 requires MacOS Mojave or above. The cost of the program is 4990 rubles. Updating for 2490 rubles is available to users of former application versions. Also there is a free test period — 14 days.

2015

Support of Windows 10 of Technical Preview in Parallels Desktop

The Parallels company announced in February, 2015 experimental support operating system Windows 10 of Technical Preview and Office Preview for Windows 10, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, in the tenth version of the solution for applications launch of Windows which is most sold in the world on Mac computers without reset - Parallels Desktop for Mac. Now to try to work with the latest OS from Microsoft it is possible, without deleting the current operating system. The master of the Parallels Wizard installation will allow to load Windows 10 Technical Preview directly from Parallels Desktop and to create the virtual machine to test in it all functionality which can offer at this stage Windows 10. Among new features of this OS in the Parallels virtual machine the new starting menu, new applications of the Photo and the Map, the virtual voice Cortana assistant and app store of Windows Store in the beta which can offer Office Preview for Windows 10 are available.

As soon as possible to try new OS and to make the opinion on it, it is not required to take the risk, reinstalling the operating system. Users of Mac can load free trial version of Parallels Desktop (works within 2 weeks) and to use the master of the Parallels Wizard installation to simplify the beginning of work and to try free of charge the version of Windows 10 of Technical Preview in the virtual machine.

Parallels is focused on a possibility of a wide choice for users, and using Parallels Desktop they are free to select what of operating systems suits them best of all - including OS X Yosemite, OS X Mavericks, Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Windows 8 Windows 7, Chrome OS, Android and a number of operating systems under Linux - all in one computer.

To try Windows 10 Technical Preview (assembly 9926), the version of Parallels Desktop 10 is necessary for Mac (10.1.4, assembly 28883).

Release of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac

On August 19, 2015 the Parallels company announced release of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac.

The program exists in three versions: Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition (earlier - Enterprise Edition) and the version for developers, designers and professional users — Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition.

Addition of all versions of Parallels Desktop for Mac:

• increase in speed of start Windows 8 and 10 up to 50%,
• the mode of travel prolonging notebook battery operating time up to 25%
• support of Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan,
• set of other functions.

"One of the biggest user groups of Parallels Desktop for Mac is made by developers, designers and advanced users, - Yakov Zubarev, the president of Parallels said. — Especially for them we created Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and we are going to develop this edition further that they could cope with the working tasks more effectively. Today we present the solution Parallels Desktop 11 with ability to integrate with Windows 10 and El Capitan and access to Microsoft Cortana to Mac. It will become even simpler to start Windows applications on Mac".

Parallels Desktop 11 will help users of Mac to start Windows 10, to use Cortana - the personal voice assistant with elements of artificial intelligence from Microsoft, both in Windows, and in Mac OS X. Parallels Desktop 11 provides experimental support of the preliminary version of OS X El Capitan and support of the complete version of this platform after its official release.

Representation of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, 2015

Availability

The solutions Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition are available, both for new, and for the acting users of Parallels Desktop for Mac worldwide.

2014: Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac

On August 20, 2014 the Parallels company announced release of the new version of software for applications launch of Windows on Mac computers without reset - Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac and its new edition for business market - Enterprise Edition.

In the tenth version, in addition to support of the last operating systems released by Apple (including OS X Yosemite), developers optimized performance measures:

• speed of operation of the virtual machine
• start of separate applications,
• battery employment duration
• memory economy.

The company announced increase in these indicators for 30%-50%. Parallels worked over "corporate" abilities to integrate, having set the purpose: the user should forget - what initial operating system is installed at him on the PC and to focus only on the tasks.

"Consumer expectations and the market move to that in the future the user could get access to the data, files, applications without any system restrictions – i.e. irrespective of OS, a device brand, from that, mobile it or stationary, costs the house or at office, - Yakov Zubarev, the president of Parallels noted. – Millions of users of Parallels Desktop for Mac wait from us that we will move ahead in this direction, without forgetting about convenience of work, speed and new interesting features. But most of all they expect an opportunity to cease to worry in general about whether some specific application will work in a certain operating system, and just quietly and effectively to solve the problems - houses, at work and on the way".

In Parallels Desktop 10 the functions developed for operating systems and the Mac OS X Yosemite applications (from design to functionality) and Windows are implemented.

• iCloud Drive that allows to browse and work with the files which are there directly from Explorer and other programs of Windows, without need to come for this purpose into the iCloud application is supported.
• There was an opportunity to find virtual machines and to manage them directly from the Spotlight and QuickLook panels.
• One click it is possible to call on number which the user sees on the screen of the computer in the Windows virtual machine, with synchronized with Mac iPhone, and still – to select any text, the link in Internet Explorer or to select a photo and to send from the iPhone by means of the message of iMessage or the SMS.
• The setup wizard which is step by step helping the user to begin quickly work freely is updated to select and install any suitable operating system, including OS X Yosemite, OS X Mavericks Mac OS X Mountain Lion Chrome, Android and Ubuntu, to configure option of interaction, convenient for itself between these OS.

New in edition

• Performance and optimization
• It is possible to open files of Windows and also to save and copy them up to 48% faster (especially fall forward will become noticeable during the work with files of the big size).
• Thanks to improvement of energy efficiency now battery power for work with Parallels Desktop is enough for 30% longer that, for example, for Mac Book Pro makes nearly 1.5 hours of extra work without recharge.
• Packet size with the Parallels Desktop application became 35% less. Now it "weighs" only 274 MB, and, so is loaded and established quicker.
• Virtual machines use up to 10% less memory of the Mac computer now.
• All new virtual machines created by the user already include by default all necessary settings which allow to start Microsoft Office applications of 2013 up to 50% quicker.
• The virtual machine will occupy exactly so much disk space now on the hard drive Mac how many it is necessary for it. Optimization function in real time automatically squeezes a virtual disk that eliminates need to do it manually from time to time.
• Creation of snapshots and rollback to the previous status goes on 60% quicker.
• In the master of release of disk space all possible methods for optimization of a disk space which is used by Parallels Desktop and virtual machines are collected now.

Beginning of work

• One click the user can select from the list of functions necessary type of optimization of the virtual machine under the requirements. For example: work with documents, games, design, development. Selecting type, the user automatically turns on the necessary settings (performance, the screen mode, work with graphics, etc.). In the Development mode the packet of special functions is also available to the user to developers.
• The new control center – allows to operate all Parallels Desktop virtual machines and their settings from one window.
• It became much simpler to install Windows OS, using a new setup wizard of virtual machines: hints and new methods of start of install files will help to begin and complete installation process quickly.
• Regional settings (time, currency, language in keyboard layout pattern, etc.) from Mac by default are established now also in each new Windows virtual machine.

Integration functions

• Users can work at the same time with files, texts and web pages from Windows, using the Internet accounts configured on Mac. At the same time depending on content type different options can be offered the user. For example, the text can be placed on Twitter or Facebook, video – on Vimeo, images – in Flickr or iPhoto. These data can also be sent by email, through AirDrop and the Messages program.
• When the user installs the new Windows application, its icon is automatically added to panels of OS X Launchpad on the Mac screen.
• The indicator of number of new messages in e-mail in Outlook allows to see quickly quantity unread email (in the same way as in Mail Apple).
• It is possible to transfer files using drag and drop to Windows icon in the Dock panels that they opened in the necessary OS at once.
• There was an opportunity to easily recover any setup to its status by default (to click enough on the Restore Defaults button in a window of setup of the virtual machine).
• In the Notification panel it is possible to browse a status of the virtual machine, indicators of consumption of memory and other settings now.

Parallels Desktop для Mac Enterprise Edition

In this edition a number of new features for improvement of operation of applications of different OS in one corporate environment and providing their full compliance to security policies and business processes of each specific company is implemented.

Now administrators can keep account not only the equipment, but virtual machines using Asset Tag where each VM appoints the identifier using which their complete and relevant list is always available. Besides, it is possible to implement policy on use of different USB devices on working computers and to define an order of loading of virtual machines.

It is possible to install the guest OS X systems using an image from the NetBoot-server in corporate network, to cipher virtual machines in OS X using the corresponding functions of the FileVault system which is built in OS X. The portal for work with all user licenses will allow to keep track of their status and to directly withdraw them.

Availability

Users of versions 8 and 9 can be updated to the version of Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac, since August 20. Details of license and price policy - on the website of vendor.

2013: Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac

The Parallels company released the version of the solution Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac which allows to work at the same time with Windows applications and Mac without reset.

Desktop screenshot

In the version of Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac synchronization of data of the virtual machine and Mac with popular cloud services of storage iCloud Dropbox Google Drive SkyDrive, more is provided than the capacity of the virtual machine is increased by 40%, support of two new Windows 8 OS.1 operating systems is added and OS X Mavericks.

In Parallels Desktop 9 the speed of the majority of transactions is increased:

• disk performance is increased by 40%,
• start of the virtual machine and its switching off became 25% faster,
• suspension of operation of virtual machines will take 20% less time,
• work 3D - diagrams and browsers accelerated for 15%.

Key features and changes

• Support of cloud services.
• The improved support Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
• Full-fledged work of applications during "dream" (support of PowerNap technology) in the Windows virtual machine.
• Support of traditional gestures of Mac during the work with Windows applications.
• Support of the storage devices Thunderbolt and Firewire. Now they can be attached to the Windows virtual machine directly.
• The PDF printer for Windows applications.
• Storing of arrangement of a window of the virtual machine during the work with several monitors. If the user works with additional monitors and he should switch-off sometimes them, Parallels Desktop 9 at their new connection will recover arrangement of the virtual machine what it was before shutdown.
• Security Wizard. The uniform center for work with all security settings from which, for example, it is possible to select an anti-virus software is created and to subscribe for their trial versions in one click. The antivirus from Dr.Web is added.
• The improved "Master of installation".
• The configured keyboard.
• The improved support of Linux OS.
• Upgrade of the interface of the virtual machine: the design of the interface is as close as possible to design of the OS X Mavericks. For example, we removed a "linen" background and all excess parts, the interface became laconic and the simplest for the user.
• Interactive notifications: as in Mavericks it is possible to respond to the e-mail or the message directly from the notification now, without leaving the program used at this moment (it was for this purpose necessary to go to the application which sent the notification earlier), we implemented their support in Parallels Desktop. Notifications Microsoft Outlook work as the message of OS X Mail now, i.e. now you can directly click the corresponding knpoka in the pop-up message and read the complete text of the letter, answer it or delete it.
• Support of the Spaces mode for all monitors: on all connected additional monitors it is possible to open Parallels Desktop in the full-screen mode now (including in the Coherence mode).
• The Parallels Finder tag function can be used for marking of virtual machines and applications now. It "will automatically mark" with corporate labels everything that belongs to a virtual part.
• Possibility of the simplified loading of OS X 10.9 Mavericks: using a special application of "Install OS X Mavericks.app" which is available in App Store or if Mavericks on Mac of the user is already started, it is possible to install OS in 1 cliques in a new setup wizard of the Parallels Desktop virtual machine.
• The improved energy saving: we increased life expectancy of the battery in Parallels Desktop 9, vospolzovavashis Mavericks technologies. Works for 30 minutes longer, in comparison with Parallels Desktop 8.

Part of new features is changed and added: a possibility of switching off of the virtual machine at an exit from Parallels Desktop, the option "mice" and the keyboard for use in games, changes in design, storing of settings for several monitors, etc. - appeared as a result of studying of requests of users of the previous versions of Parallels Desktop.

Price and distribution

The cost of the complete version of Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac - 2640 rub, versions for students - 2100 rub.

2012: Parallels Desktop 8

One of the most characteristic examples of the improved integration of Windows and Mac using solutions of Parallels – work of the built-in sensing technology of the speech from Mac OS X Mountain Lion in Windows applications. If any websites are incorrectly displayed in Safari or other browser for Mac, now they can be opened in Internet Explorer literally one click. E-mail investments can be dragged with ease directly on the Outlook icons and other Windows applications in system dock now to send them in letters or to publish in a different way. Connections to different devices via Bluetooth interface can be used at the same time in Windows applications and Mac now. Among other things, Windows applications can be integrated with a panel of start Mac Launchpad and the system of the notifications Notification Center now.

As it usually happens to new releases, the Parallels company did not fail to note the increased performance: input-output operations and games became 30% faster, than in Parallels Desktop 7. Also users can load, transfer to sleep mode now, switch off and "awake" virtual machines 25% faster, than in the previous version of a product.

2011: Parallels Desktop 7 для Mac

On September 1, 2011 Parallels announced an exit of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac. The seventh generation of the solution for simultaneous operation with Windows without reset distinguishes more than 90 new opportunities by Mac, including work with Mac OS x Lion, performance improvement and integration between desktop and mobile software platforms.

The full support of new features of the Mac OS X Lion operating system which appeared recently is added to Parallels Desktop 7. The Windows applications let in Parallels Desktop 7 work in the Fullscreen mode, can be added to Launchpad and be controlled through Mission Control. Besides, Mac OS X Lion can be set and started in Parallels Desktop 7 as guest operating system that will be for certain highly appreciated by application developers for computers of Apple.

Traditional 'fad' of Parallels Desktop - performance in guest OS and also high-speed performance in 3D-applications. In settings of the seventh version of Parallels Desktop of guest OS it is possible to select up to 1 GB of video memory (VRAM) that is enough for modern games and for the majority of specialized programs for engineering and three-dimensional modeling much.

Along with Parallels Desktop 7 the company released the Parallels Mobile application which provides access of mobile devices (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch) both to Windows programs, and to the Mac OS X applications. Work with them practically does not differ from work with a normal IOS-APPLICATIONS. All functionality of Mac from Windows started at the same time is in iPhone or iPad and is available one touch to the screen. It is possible work with usual applications from the world of Mac and Windows worldwide where there is WiFi or 3G-connection. For the first time on IOS-DEVICES reproduction a flash video with a sound, copying and an insert of data between Windows applications and iOS, and many other functions is supported.

"Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac together with Parallels Mobile erases an edge between essentially different operating systems and devices, - the president of Parallels in emerging markets Yershov Pavel says. – There is no need any more to worry about compatibility of applications on different devices. There are usual programs and files with which it is possible to work even then when near at hand there is no desktop computer, and there are only a tablet or the smartphone".

Parallels Desktop 7 will be available to Mac to purchase on September 6, 2011. The debut of new generation of the solution will pass in Russia with the USA to the day that speaks about importance of the market of the Russian Federation for Parallels company. The new generation of Parallels Desktop can be purchased in re network: Store, or on the official site of Parallels at the price of 2550 rubles. Sales of Parallels Desktop of 7 Enterprise Editions (from 100 licenses, tools for centralized installations/managements of guest OS, a uniform activation key, priority user support) start on the same day.

Users of Parallels Desktop 5 and Parallels Desktop 6 can use preferential terms for upgrade and pass to Parallels Desktop 7 for 1590 rubles. Buyers of Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac which purchased a product at the basic price (2590 rubles) not earlier than August 1, 2011 need free updating to the seventh version.

2010: MacTech: Parallels Desktop 6 лучше VMware Fusion 3.1

The American magazine MacTech carried out the comparative Parallels Desktop 6 tests for Mac and VMware Fusion 3.1.1 and stated a convincing victory of the solution of Parallels. According to the results of tests of Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac advances VMware Fusion 3.1.1 in 84% of tests. In the field of graphic performance and during the work with files on network advantage of Parallels was absolute. A verdict of team of experts of MacTech - "a flawless victory of Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac"".

The testing methodology included assessment of speed of start and a stop of virtual machines, performance of input-output, speed of work with office programs (MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and Internet Explorer under Windows XP and Windows 7), influence of programs for virtualization on high-speed performance of Mac OS X and also performance tests in 3D, executed with the help 3DMark06. From 400 Parallels Desktop 6 tests for Mac exceeded the main competitor in 336. Comparison of work with three-dimensional graphics revealed absolute superiority of the solution Parallels Desktop 6 – it in 92% of tests appeared quicker than the competitor. Were tested on four computers Apple – from MacBook in the most modest configuration to the high-performance MacPro workstation.

Commenting on an essential separation of the solution Parallels of the competitor on the website MacTech, the publisher and the Chief Editor of the magazine Neill Tiktin called progress of the sixth application version "a big jump forward" in comparison with Parallels Desktop 5 which also won a year ago a victory over VMware Fusion 3.0. The new version of Parallels Desktop works even better with "heavy" applications where the maximum computing power and 3D - performance is necessary. And numerous settings do Parallels Desktop 6 by a powerful and flexible solution thanks to which on computers of Apple it is possible to start the majority of modern games.